Can anyone tell me why ?

[CSEe]

Since a few years , I am trying to learn from any person who claimed to be a teacher or master of Buddhism by debate and trying to explore the reason that makes them teach other.......but until now , I still could not find any .

Most of them seems not interested to discuss or debate but eager to teach me ....but when when I invited them for a debate , some even get angry .

Can anyone tell me why ?

Thks
CSEe

[maejin]

You will not get a true master of buddhist theory here. Go to a monastery and debate I'm sure you will get a few in Malaysia. :)

[CSEe]

Originally Posted by maejin

You will not get a true master of buddhist theory here. Go to a monastery and debate I'm sure you will get a few in Malaysia. :)

Perhaps even more difficult to face to face and debate with any monk here in Malaysia or anywhere ............from many posting here , I have reason to believe there are so many master or teacher of Buddhism in here and I just hope they agree to debate with me sincerely for my own learning process .
Thks
CSEe

[CSEe]

In my current understanding of buddhism , anyone or anything is a great source of learning , any action , any re-action by own self or others is actually "teaching" us for realization on own self but I really-really cant understand what reason makes a person to teach others Buddhism ......
In short I really hope to understand what is the reason that makes Dalai Lama teaches others on Buddhism..........I hope by debate with any teacher whom currently teaching Buddhism , I could understand ........

Originally Posted by CSEe

Perhaps even more difficult to face to face and debate with any monk here in Malaysia or anywhere ............from many posting here , I have reason to believe there are so many master or teacher of Buddhism in here and I just hope they agree to debate with me sincerely for my own learning process .
Thks
CSEe

Why debate, why not just discuss? If you are looking to learn, that means you lack a certain knowledge of the path you seek to follow... so how can you debate what you are not fully educated about? You will only succeed in throwing up verbal road blocks in front of the one who is trying to enter into a discussion with you... and naturally, they will probably get a bit annoyed and avoid you in the future.

So you might try having a conversation with someone and asking honest questions rather than labeling it a debate; most masters will not enter into a debate with a pupil. And really, a debate is to enter into a more heated discussion by two people with opposing views; not when someone is seeking to learn. What are your intentions with debating? To try and prove to a Buddhist Master that he is wrong and you posses more knowledge then he or she?

The word, "debate" doesn't seem to make much sense here.

Hi CSEe,

Could you give me your idea why there is a person was born in rich family and was healthy, and there is a person was born in poor family and was sickness?

With my current experience of Buddhism (not master), I think we can discuss and learn together although I am not good in English :)

[maejin]

Mind's Eye Why debate, why not just discuss? If you are looking to learn, that means you lack a certain knowledge of the path you seek to follow... so how can you debate what you are not fully educated about? You will only succeed in throwing up verbal road blocks in front of the one who is trying to enter into a discussion with you... and naturally, they will probably get a bit annoyed and avoid you in the future.


Mind's Eye, "debate" is not necessarily viewed the same way in Buddhist traditions as it is in the west. Debate in fact has been very important in the growth and development of Buddhism (http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/...data/fdd52.htm) and some debates have resulted in some of the best theoretical works produced in buddhism (such as the work entitled "the debate of king milinda" http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/milinda.pdf)

[maejin]

Originally Posted by tttin

Hi CSEe,

Could you give me your idea why there is a person was born in rich family and was healthy, and there is a person was born in poor family and was sickness.

with my current experience of Buddhism (not master), I think we can discuss and learn together although I am not good in English :)

The Buddha said that such variations in human beings are due to karma from their past lives. For example those that were generous in previous lives are reborn to wealth, those that were violent are reborn to weakness.

Originally Posted by maejin

Mind's Eye, "debate" is not necessarily viewed the same way in Buddhist traditions as it is in the west. Debate in fact has been very important in the growth and development of Buddhism (http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd52.htm) and some debates have resulted in some of the best theoretical works produced in buddhism (such as the work entitled "the debate of king milinda" http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/milinda.pdf)

In Buddhist culture, to debate is not to fight with another, it is to fight against ignorance as in truth no one loses a debate, it is only understanding that wins, clearing concepts for both sides. Debating in this way is not easy and takes a great deal of maturity as it does not involve ego or strict attachment to views as you would suppose from the standard phenomena we term as debate in modern society.

You see in a "discussion" one does not specifically attack concepts to see how well they hold up against scrutiny. You dont really get as far in "discussing" things as you do in a debate where concepts are attacked to see how strong they are. This of course is an attack against concepts and theories not the people espousing them. And in the modern age we view debate negatively because we hold our theories so dearly that an attack on them is perceived as an attack on ourselves.

I can agree with that, but many people from many cultures do not debate successfully in this way... It generally turns out to be an argument because one or the other gets too sharp with words or someone gets ticked off...LOL

Maybe the gathering of learned masters can flow along in a healthy and non-attacking debate... but among the general populace, it's gonna turn into a hash slinging contest brother!

[maejin]

Originally Posted by Mind's Eye

Maybe the gathering of learned masters can flow along in a healthy and non-attacking debate... but among the general populace, it's gonna turn into a hash slinging contest brother!

Yes I hope that we on this forum can all strive to be learned masters rather than the general populace